In his second exclusive column for Crash.net, F3 Euroseries rookie Alexander Sims reflects on a promising if frustrating maiden outing with Mücke Motorsport at Hockenheim - one that proved he had the pace to finish up on the podium, but ultimately left him to walk away empty-handed...

I've just finished my first race weekend of 2009, the opening round of the F3 Euroseries at Hockenheim. Having been strong in testing earlier in the year, I went into the weekend feeling that we would be able to get some solid results. I turned up on the Thursday and it was lovely weather, and we waited around for a bit until the track officials let the team trucks into the paddock. Then my engineer Michi arrived and we went for a walk around the track. We always walk around the track even if we have been there recently, so we can discuss all the points about each corner. By this time it was 7pm and the clouds had come over and it was starting to rain lightly.

We got back and had supper in the team's hospitality tent. This is the same size as the awning in which the cars are kept, but just on the other side of the truck. It's great to have food and a place to sit to wind down from each day's events. It maybe sounds strange to want somewhere to relax when you might say all I did on Thursday was sit in a car, then on the plane, get to the track and walk a few miles and that was about it, but in reality your mind is constantly running through the different things that are going on around a race weekend.

Especially on the track walk, I am constantly thinking how I could change my braking points, turn-in points and so on and how that could help me go quicker. Also there is the travelling that, as my trainer Gerry says, is a great energy thief. Whatever time you fly at it always seems to drain your energy a bit; I guess it's a combination of the stress of checking-in, security and getting to your gate on time. Then on the aeroplane, the air conditioning is not great and so many germs are constantly recycled through the air, and at the other side you have to get your bags and hire car and find the place you've got to get to. It all takes up your energy, and so it's important to try and get there in good time so you can relax and wind down in-between going through the plan for weekend's sessions, going through data and the track walk.

Anyway, as for the weekend's racing! On the Friday we were looking pretty decent. Because of the weather the track went from wet to dry and then back to wet again. In both conditions I was strong. I didn't use new tyres in the dry session, as the track was not in great condition and I thought it best to save them. Other people did and so went faster, but when we were all on old tyres I was top six most of the time. This was reasonable and where I had expected to be coming into the weekend.

On Saturday we had qualifying, which took place at 8am. This meant we got up at 5.30am so we were at the track and ready in time. The track was damp from rain overnight, but the sun was out and it looked like it would be a nice day. In the Euroseries you are allocated three sets of new slick tyres for each weekend from qualifying to the second race. Everybody uses two sets in qualifying, so you can get two shots at setting your best time.

With the track drying still, the first set was used to find the limits and learn how quickly the track was drying out. After the first run I think I was eighth. We put the other set of tyres on and went out straightaway. Whilst I was in the pits the track was starting to dry out very quickly, and after two laps of warming the tyres up I was up-to-speed. With four or so laps left I started to push, and it was evident that the track had changed more than I had expected. I started really pushing and trying to predict the level of grip before I got to each corner.

Occasionally I went over the limit for the track conditions at that point and went wide. On what turned out to be my second-to-last lap I predicted the grip quite well and went up to tenth. This then left me to make another step-up on the next lap. Going up to the third corner, though, my team-mate Sam Bird got in my slipstream and pulled up alongside me into the braking zone. I only saw him at the last minute, and he got past me so I held back to get a clear lap after that – but then the chequered flag came out! Therefore I didn't get a good lap time on my last lap when I needed to. This left me a lowly 15th, which was rubbish frankly.

Anyway, I learned from that and got on with preparing for the first race at 11.30am. Twice just before the start lights went out somebody stalled, so we had an extra formation lap for them to re-start their engine. They are then only allowed to start from the pit-lane, so effectively start last. At the third attempt I stalled; this was a shame as I had practiced about five times in testing and had been good at it. I got going again thanks to my mechanic Wito being nearby with the jump battery and went off on my own in last place.